COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers dropped their first game of the season and their home opener, as LeMoyne-Owen College held off a late charge by the Tigers for a 50-47 victory in a men's basketball game on Thursday night in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.
 
LeMoyne-Owen (2-3 overall, 2-2 SIAC) took a 50-41 lead with 4:33 left in the game after a 3-pointer. Benedict (2-1 overall, 2-1 SIAC) scored the next six points to cut the lead to 50-47 with 1:22 left in the game. The Tigers missed a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the final minute.
 
The Magicians took an early 14-5 lead, but the Tigers stormed back and tied the game at 16 after a layup by Caleb Hymon. LeMoyne-Owen pushed the lead back to 26-18 before Jamian Jackson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to trim the lead to 26-21 at the half.
 
LeMoyne-Owen had a 34-26 lead after a 3-pointer with 15:01 left in the second half before the Tigers went on a 10-0 run for a 36-34 lead. The run was highlighted by 3-pointers from Landon Jeffries, Hymon and Jackson.
 
The Magicians later used a 7-1 run to take a 50-41 lead with 4:33 left to play. The Magicians didn't score in the final four and a half minutes, setting the stage for Benedict's late charge.
 
Kameron Foman led the Tigers with 13 points. Cole White grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds.
 
Benedict is back in action on Saturday, hosting Lane College at 3 p.m.